My Backcountry Sleep System 2024

There are no shortage of questions that come with being a new backpack hunter. Many of them revolve around the gear side of things, and rightfully so. There is SO MUCH out there and knowing what to bring and what not to bring can seem confusing. Within that gear the Backcountry Sleep System gets a ton of attention. I’m referring to shelters, sleeping pads, and sleeping bags/quilts. It is your home away from home essentially.

In order to help paint a more clear picture, for new backpack hunters especially, I’m going to lay out my own backcountry sleep system. This is not only what I’ve used for years, but what I’ll be using for the 2024 hunting season.

Backcountry Shelters

Let’s start at shelters. I flip flop between a 2p and a 1p throughout the year. My two main shelters are the Argali Rincon 2p tent and the Argali Owyhee 1p tent. Both are fantastic and each serve a purpose in my system.

Out of the two the Argali Rincon 2p is going to be what I use probably 70% of the year. And if you asked me to choose one shelter to use the rest of my life, this would be it. The Rincon offers adequate space on the inside for 2 people and gear. Which for me, someone who uses it just for one person, means that I’ve got plenty of room for not only sleeping, but all of my stuff and then some. It’s a little backcountry palace for one person. If you’re interested in learning more about the Rincon 2p, check out the Argali Rincon 2p Review I did.

When I’m trying to go as lightweight as possible, I always reach for the Argali Owyhee 1p. This is not your average 1p tent either. Most 1p shelters give a coffin-like feel where the Owyhee doesn’t, which is one of the many things I love about it. I’ve got room on the inside to sleep as well as lay out some gear on both sides of me. It’s honestly the best 1p shelter I’ve used so far. You can check out my Argali Owyhee 1p Review if you’d like to learn more about this incredible minimalist shelter.

Sleeping Pad for Backcountry Hunting

As for sleeping pads, inflatable is the way to go, and don’t question that one bit. Something to pay more attention to is the R-value or temp rating. These are ways to measure the insulation value of a sleeping pad, which is the main purpose of a sleeping pad, not comfort. Comfort is nice, but these are meant to insulate you from the cold ground. The one that I’ve been using the past few seasons, and been very happy with is the Nemo Tensor Alpine sleeping pad.

The Nemo Tensor Alpine is an inflatable sleeping pad rated to -20 degrees. This is WAY overkill for the types of hunts that I do, but it’s so dang lightweight, I don’t mind. I can literally feel the heat of my body being reflected back up to me when I lay on this. A feature that is awesome when it’s a little cool out, but definitely causes me to run hot when it’s warmer. In that case, I just throw a leg out of my quilt and call it a night. Check out my Nemo Tensor Alpine Review if you want to learn more of the specifics.

Sleeping Bag/Quilt

Next, we should cover the covers. See what I did there? I’ve got jokes. Nonetheless, sleeping bags/quilts is another intricate part of the sleep system.

My go to for most of the year is a quilt from Enlightened Equipment. The Revelation 20 to be exact. I’ve had this quilt for a number of years now and it’s always served me well. A very ultralight package that compresses down super small in my backpack. I love the versatility of a quilt. When it’s warmer I can throw a leg out and literally use it like a blanket. When it gets colder I can strap it to my sleeping pad and cinch it around my body for maximum insulation.

When it gets into the later season, say late October/November, I reach for my mummy style sleeping bag. This isn’t because the quilt can’t handle colder weather, it’s just because the thing I have rated to lower temps than the quilt is a sleeping bag. I’ll likely get a lower rated quilt in the future. My sleeping bag is the Feathered Friends Lark 10 UL. It’s a bomber bag made with 950 fill. It does come in around 2 pounds, as opposed to the 19 oz of my quilt, but it’s 2 pounds of backcountry glory.

Miscellaneous – Pillow and Lantern

Along with the main gear items I’ve mentioned, there are a few miscellaneous items I like to bring along. These are in no way mandatory, but I just like having them with me, so I’ll share.

In the past, I never ever brought a pillow with me, because that would be for wimps. So, I did the more manly thing for a bit and slept on my clothes, backpack, etc. Nowadays, call me a wimp, but I’m sleeping better than ever with a Sea to Summit Aeros ultralight inflatable pillow. It’s the best 2 oz you’ll carry with you into the backcountry.

I also really like having a dedicated light for my shelter. Of course you can just use your headlamp for any and all things light, but your batteries will run out quicker. Because of this, I like to bring a little lantern made by Princeton Tec called the Helix Li. It’s a lantern that compresses down into itself, has several different light modes(high white, low white, high red, low red, etc), and lights up my entire shelter with ease. There are little hooks on the end of the legs. I’ll use these to hang it from the roof of my shelter.

Find Your System

I really hope that what I’ve laid out here can help you in some small way build your own backcountry sleep system. Everything here has been tested vigorously for years and I’ve always been happy. It’s what works for me. With that said, you need to find what works for you. And the only way to do that is through trial and error. Use what I’ve listed here as a guide, but don’t think you need to use the exact gear pieces that I use. If they work for you, awesome. If not, you’ll know where to pivot. It’s time for me to pivot into hunting season. Best of luck out there folks.